View in EDS HTML Full Text PDF Full Text

Beyond the surface: unraveling the relationships between conflict, psychological safety, team learning, and performance in student teams.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Beyond the surface: unraveling the relationships between conflict, psychological safety, team learning, and performance in student teams.
Authors: Ratiu, L. (AUTHOR), Buzea, I.M. (AUTHOR), Rus, C.L. (AUTHOR), Otoiu, C. (AUTHOR)
Source: Studies in Higher Education. Jun2026, Vol. 51 Issue 6, p1338-1353. 16p.
Subjects: Psychological safety, Team learning approach in education, Cognitive dissonance, Cooperation, Social groups, Collective efficacy, Higher education
Abstract: In contemporary higher education settings, fostering collaboration among students is paramount. However, integrating teamwork into learning processes can pose challenges, such as the 'free-rider syndrome', in the development of student team projects. Additionally, divergent opinions on task goals and methods, escalating interpersonal tensions, and power struggles can hinder effective teamwork. Unlike much of the existing conflict research that predominantly focuses on conflict resolution, this study underscores the necessity of comprehending conflict's impact and mechanisms, premised on its inherent inevitability. Specifically, our aim is to investigate the relationships between contribution conflict (a process conflict type) and team performance with psychological safety and exploring different perspectives (a team learning behavior) as explanatory mechanisms. A time-lagged design was employed, collecting data from a sample of 1002 Romanian students, organized into 199 teams. Results reveal a significant and negative indirect effect of the contribution conflict on team performance. Psychological safety significantly mediates the effects of contribution conflict on team performance, facilitating the engagement in exploring different perspectives. Interestingly, the exploration of diverse perspectives did not significantly enhance team performance, underscoring the complexity of the link between team learning behaviors and performance outcomes. This research offers empirical evidence supporting theories that posit a secure and respectful team environment is crucial for cultivating productive team interactions and outcomes, even in the face of inevitable conflict. Recognizing the importance of constructively approaching differences is essential in fostering positive team dynamics among students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Studies in Higher Education is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
Full text is not displayed to guests.
FullText Links:
  – Type: pdflink
Text:
  Availability: 1
Header DbId: pbh
DbLabel: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
An: 194222918
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Beyond the surface: unraveling the relationships between conflict, psychological safety, team learning, and performance in student teams.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ratiu%2C+L%2E%22">Ratiu, L.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Buzea%2C+I%2EM%2E%22">Buzea, I.M.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rus%2C+C%2EL%2E%22">Rus, C.L.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Otoiu%2C+C%2E%22">Otoiu, C.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Studies+in+Higher+Education%22">Studies in Higher Education</searchLink>. Jun2026, Vol. 51 Issue 6, p1338-1353. 16p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subjects
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychological+safety%22">Psychological safety</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Team+learning+approach+in+education%22">Team learning approach in education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognitive+dissonance%22">Cognitive dissonance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cooperation%22">Cooperation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+groups%22">Social groups</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Collective+efficacy%22">Collective efficacy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Higher+education%22">Higher education</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: In contemporary higher education settings, fostering collaboration among students is paramount. However, integrating teamwork into learning processes can pose challenges, such as the 'free-rider syndrome', in the development of student team projects. Additionally, divergent opinions on task goals and methods, escalating interpersonal tensions, and power struggles can hinder effective teamwork. Unlike much of the existing conflict research that predominantly focuses on conflict resolution, this study underscores the necessity of comprehending conflict's impact and mechanisms, premised on its inherent inevitability. Specifically, our aim is to investigate the relationships between contribution conflict (a process conflict type) and team performance with psychological safety and exploring different perspectives (a team learning behavior) as explanatory mechanisms. A time-lagged design was employed, collecting data from a sample of 1002 Romanian students, organized into 199 teams. Results reveal a significant and negative indirect effect of the contribution conflict on team performance. Psychological safety significantly mediates the effects of contribution conflict on team performance, facilitating the engagement in exploring different perspectives. Interestingly, the exploration of diverse perspectives did not significantly enhance team performance, underscoring the complexity of the link between team learning behaviors and performance outcomes. This research offers empirical evidence supporting theories that posit a secure and respectful team environment is crucial for cultivating productive team interactions and outcomes, even in the face of inevitable conflict. Recognizing the importance of constructively approaching differences is essential in fostering positive team dynamics among students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Studies in Higher Education is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=194222918
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/03075079.2025.2509148
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 16
        StartPage: 1338
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Psychological safety
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Team learning approach in education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cognitive dissonance
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cooperation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social groups
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Collective efficacy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Higher education
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Beyond the surface: unraveling the relationships between conflict, psychological safety, team learning, and performance in student teams.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Ratiu, L.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Buzea, I.M.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Rus, C.L.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Otoiu, C.
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 06
              Text: Jun2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 03075079
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 51
            – Type: issue
              Value: 6
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Studies in Higher Education
              Type: main
ResultId 1